Combination storage receptacle and dispenser

ABSTRACT

An ice piece dispenser comprising a relatively wide and shallow receptacle having a generally concave bottom wall and a dispensing outlet in the front thereof contains an auger-type dispensing means horizontally supported in the receptacle in spaced relationship with the sidewalls of the receptacle. The dispensing means includes a feed section for dispensing ice pieces through the outlet and a conveying section spaced from the feed section for conveying ice pieces to the feed section at a rate in excess of that at which ice pieces are dispensed by the feed section so that the excess ice pieces move tangentially into adjacent portions of the receptacle and are recirculated to thereby agitate the contents of receptacle and break up any ice clumps or clusters. A single longitudinally extending step or shoulder in the bottom wall of the receptacle below the conveying section and adjacent the inlet end of the feed section is provided to deflect ice pieces moving in a tangential direction into the feed section without materially interferring with the recirculation pattern of the stored ice pieces.

United States Patent [72] Inventor RobertW.Curry,IlI

Louisville, Ky. [21] Appl.No. 847,848 [22] Filed Aug.6,l969 [45]Patented Mar.16, 1971 [73] Assignee General Electric Company [54]COMBINATION STORAGE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

52 11.5.0 222/240, 198/64 [51] lnt.Cl ..G01f11/20 [50] Fieldol'Search222/240, 24l;l98/64 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,348,656 10/1967 l-lalletal. 198/64 3,422,994 I/l969 Alvarez 222/2403,437,244 4/1969 Alvarezetal 222/240 Primary ExaminerStanley H. TollbergAttorneys-Walter E. Rule, Harry F. Manbeck, Jr., Joseph B.

Forman, Oscar B. Waddell and Frank L. Neuhauser the feed section at arate in excess of that at which ice pieces,

are dispensed by the feed section so that the excess ice pieces movetangentially into adjacent portions of the receptacle and arerecirculated to thereby agitate the contents of receptacle and break upany ice clumps or clusters. A single longitudinally extending step orshoulder in the bottom wall of the receptacle below the conveyingsection and adjacent the inlet end of the feed section is provided todeflect ice pieces moving in a tangential direction into the feedsection without materially interferring with the recirculation patternof the stored ice pieces.

PATENTEUHAMSIQYI v $570,720

FIGJ

ROBERT w. CURRYIII \S ATTORNEY INVENTOR.

COMBINATION STORAGE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an ice piece dispenser for aconventional household refrigerator and more specifically to an icedispenser of the type disclosed and claimed in US. Pat. No. 3,422,994Alvarez issued Jan. 21, 1969 and US. Pat. No. 3,437,244 Alvarez et al.issued Apr. 8, 1969. Briefly described such a dispenser comprises areceptacle for receiving and collecting ice pieces from an automatic icemaker and dispensing means rotatably supported in a horizontal positionwithin the receptacle so that, upon operation thereof, ice pieces willbe automatically dispensed through a discharge opening in thereceptacle. The dispensing means generally comprises a feed section forfeeding ice pieces to the discharge opening and a conveying sectionconnected to the feed section and rotatable therewith. The feed sectioncomprises a collar containing a conveyor screw or auger rotatable withthe collar. The conveyor section is designed to both convey ice piecesfrom more remote portions of the receptacle to the inlet end of the feedsection and circulate and agitate the stored ice pieces so as to breakup clusters or clumps thereof. To this end, the bottom wall of thereceptacle slants away from the dispensing means whereby excess icepieces conveyed to the feed section by the conveying section movetangentially from the portion of the dispensing means ahead of the feedsection and into the adjacent portions of the receptacle to the side ofthe dispensing means. For maximum recirculation of the ice pieces andagitation of substantially all of the ice pieces stored in thereceptacle, the receptacle is preferably of a width from two to threetimes the diameter of the dispensing means and has a height about equalto the height of the dispensing means. These optimum dimensionalrelationships and a smooth arcuate shape of the bottom wall of thereceptacle provide the maximum free circulation and agitation of icepieces throughout the receptacle. I

In the actual operation of a dispenser of this type, it has been foundthat even though ice pieces are delivered by the conveying section tothe feed section at a rate greater than the feed section can take theseice pieces, the ice pieces occasionally fail to enter the feed sectionat the anticipated rate. In some cases it has been found that this hasbeen due to the fact that two interconnected ice pieces, which may becalled a webbed double, become caught on the inlet edge of the augerblade so that this double rotates with the feed section thereby blockingentrance of other ice pieces into the feed section. In other cases, aplurality or group of unconnected ice pieces become aligned or arrangedin such a pattern that as a group or unit they move tangentially alongthe bottom wall of the receptacle in the direction of rotation of thedispensing means with insufficient movement relative to one another topermit or-cause one or more of the ice pieces to enter the feed section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to and has asit primary object the provision of an improvement in an ice dispenser ofthe aforementioned type adapted to assure a more continuous and positiveintroduction of ice pieces into the dispensing means feed sectionwithout significantly interferring with the circulation and agitation ofthe stored ice pieces by the dispensing means.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the icepiece dispenser comprises a receptacle for receiving and collecting theice pieces formed by an automatic ice maker. The receptacle includes adischarge opening in the front wall thereof through which ice pieces aredischarged as required by the user by operation of a dispensing meanssupported substantially horizontally and rotatably in the receptacle.The dispensing means comprising a feed section adapted to discharge icepieces through the opening and a conveying section adapted to convey icepieces from the more remote portions of the receptacle to the feedsection. The feed section comprises a cylindrical collar having anoutlet at the front end thereof communicating with the opening and aninlet at the rear end thereof. Means, such as a screw auger, iscontained within the collar for advancing ice pieces from the inlet tothe outlet end of the collar upon rotation of the dispensing means. Theconveying section for conveying ice pieces to the inlet end of the feedsection includes helical means in the form of a heavy wire or rod bentto form a helix of one or more turns spaced from one another. Theconveyor section and feed sec,- tion are spaced from one another and soarranged within the receptacle that ice pieces which do not enter thefeed section are recirculated and agitated within the receptacle therebypreventing the formation of ice clusters and breaking up clusters of icepieces which may be present within the receptacle. To prevent theformation of groups of ice pieces or clusters of interconnected icepieces from interferring with the continuous entrance of ice pieces intothe feed section, the otherwise continuous and gently curving bottomwall of the receptacle below the dispensing means and at the inlet endof the feed section is provided with a shoulder or ridge. This shoulderor ridge is in the path of ice pieces moving tangentially at the inletend of the feed section so that it disperses or breaks up the groups orclusters which may otherwise block the entrance to the feed section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the ice dispensing means of thepresent invention incorporated in the freezer compartment of a householdrefrigerator;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 ofFIG. 2; and I FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 1 and 2 of thedrawing, there is illustrated a household refrigerator comprising afreezer compartment 1 having an access opening at the front thereofclosed by a door 2. Within the upper portion of the freezer compartment1, there is mounted an automatic ice maker 3 which may be any of thewell-known types presently provided in household refrigerators for theautomatic production of ice pieces, generally referred to as ice cubesregardless of their particular shapes. These ice pieces are dischargedinto a storage bin or receptacle 4 which serves not only to store themanufactured ice pieces at subfreezing temperatures but also forms partof an ice dispenser designed to automatically dispense the stored icepieces as required by the user.

The receptacle 4, which is removably supported on a supporting shelf 5below the ice maker 3, is relatively wide and relatively shallow andincludes vertical front and rear walls 9 and 10 and an arcuate orconcave bottom wall 11 merging with sidewalls 12. The front wall 9 ofthe receptacle 4 is provided with a dispensing opening 14 above andspaced from the lowest portion of the bottom wall 11.

For the purpose of conveying ice pieces stored in the receptacle 4 tothe discharge opening 14, there is provided within the receptacle 4 adispensing means generally indicated by the numeral 15. It extendslengthwise of the receptacle 4 adjacent the lowermost portion of thearcuate bottom wall 11 and in alignment with the discharge opening 14and is pivotally supported in a horizontal position on the front andrear walls 9 and it) of the receptacle 4 for rotational movement aboutits horizontal axis. It essentially comprises a feed section R6 at thefront end thereof and a conveyor section 17 connected to the feedsection and forming the rear portion of the dispensing means.

The feed section 16, as is more fully shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of thedrawing, comprises an open ended cylindrical sleeve or collar 18 of adiameter such that with the front end of the dispensing means pivotallysupported by a bearing member 19 adjacent the discharge opening 14, thebottom of the sleeve 18 is positioned in a shallow arcuate depression 20in the bottom wall 11 of the receptacle 4. The depression 20 is of adepth such that the inner surface 21 of the collar 18 is insubstantially the same plane or slightly below, the adjacent surfaceportion 22 of the receptacle bottom wall to facilitate entrance of icepieces into the collar 18.

The collar 18 contains a conveyor screw, in the form of a double auger25 rotatable with the collar 18, for picking up ice pieces at the inletend 26 of the feed section and advancing these ice pieces in single filearrangement to the discharge opening 14 during rotation of thedispensing means. The feed section is of a construction such that duringnormal operation of the ice dispenser, a plurality of ice pieces arestored within the feed section in a manner such that a controllablenumber of ice pieces are discharged through the discharge opening 14upon each half revolution of the dispensing means.

The conveyor section 17 comprises an open coil of wire or rod designedto advance ice pieces towards the feed section and also agitate andcirculate the ice pieces stored within the receptacle 4. It includes, asshown particularly in FIG. 2 of the drawing, a conveyor portion 27comprising one or more open, helical coils designed upon rotation of thedispensing means to transport ice pieces from the rear of the bucket tothe inlet end 26 of the feed section and a second volute or taperedportion 28 connecting the first portion 27 to the center shaft or axisof the feed member.

The portion 28 spaces the main portion 27 from the inlet end of the feedsection a distance sufficient so that ice pieces conveyed to the feedsection but not entering that section can move in a radial or transversedirection out of the dispensing means and be recirculated in a manner tobe more fully described hereinafter.

The rear end of the conveyor section 17 is connected to a shaft 32forming part of the motor and speed reduction drive means 35 mounted onthe rear portion of shelf and adapted to rotate the dispensing means ina clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 of the drawing. The dispensingmeans is preferably spaced from the bottom wall of the receptacle 4 adistance less than the smallest dimension of the ice pieces stored inthe receptacle 4 and preferably about one-half of that dimension.

As is taught in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,994 Alvarez, thereceptacle has an effective storage width of at least twice, preferablyabout three times, the diameter of the dispensing means and a heightabout equal to the diameter of the dispensing means. These optimumdimensional relationships and the smooth arcuate shape of the bottomwall substantially prevent jamming of the ice pieces at various pointsalong the dispensing means and provide a relatively free circulation andagitation of ice pieces through the receptacle.

During rotation of the dispensing means 8, the ice piece circulationfollows a definite pattern. Ice pieces picked up by the conveyor section17 are advanced towards the feed section where some of the ice piecesenter the feed section for ultimate discharge through the dischargeopening 14. The conveyor section is designed to supply ice pieces to thefeed section at a rate in excess of the rate at which ice pieces canenter the feed section. The excess ice pieces travel transversely orlaterally into the areas on one side or the other of the feed section16. Then under the pressure of following ice pieces, they move along thesidewalls to the rear of the receptacle where they are again in aposition to be picked up by the conveyor section.

Some of the clumps or clusters of ice pieces consisting of a pluralityof ice pieces joined together at isolated points which are too large toenter the feed section are brokenup while in the area ahead of the feedsection either by the rotating feed section entrance or by the rotatingtapered portion 28. Those which exit through the open section betweenthe main conveyor section coils 27 and the feed section 16 may be brokenup by'agitation thereof with other ice pieces during the recirculationof the ice pieces within the receptacle. The rotation of collar 18 helpsturn such clumps 'or clusters of ice pieces which cannot enterthe feedsection away from the feed section entrance.

While all of the above design details as taught in the aforementionedAlvarez patent have been found to aid in preventing stalling of themotor, in breaking up of ice piece clusters and in supplyingiceipiecesto the feed section at a rate greater than the feed section dispensesice pieces, there are occasional periods during which ice pieces are notpicked up by the feed section at the anticipated and required rate. Ithas been found that this has generally been caused by the fact that awebbed double, that is two interconnected ice pieces, has entered one ofthe feed section flutes 38 to the point where one of the ice pieces iswithin the flute while the other is still outside so that the double isstraddling the inlet edge of an auger blade. This double riding on theinlet edge 40 of an auger blade will then rotate for several revolutionsof the feed section blocking the entrance to the flute during thisperiod. In other cases, a lower entrance rate has been found to be dueto the fact that groups of unconnected ice pieces sliding tangentiallyalong the smooth bottom wall 11 of the receptacle in the direction ofrotation of the dispensing means appear to move together and as a unitwith no substantial rearrangement of the group so that even those icepieces immediately adjacent the inlet end of the feed section move alongwith the group rather than entering the feed section.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for bothdislodging the webbed double from the inlet end of the feed section andfor breaking up of any group arrangement of disconnected ice pieceswithout materially affecting the desired circulation of ice piecesthroughout the receptacle.

To this end the otherwise smooth and continuous dishshaped or concavebottom wall of the receptacle is interrupted by a slanting shoulder orstep portion adjacent the feed section inlet and below the dispensingmeans.

This means, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing, comprises a ridge41 of generally triangular cross section extending longitudinally of thebottom wall of the receptacle and particularly in the area between theconveying section and the feed section. The height of this ridge is lessthan the smallest dimension of the stored ice pieces so that it willonly impede rather than stop the lateral or tangential movement of icepieces in this area and therefore will not stall or increase the load onthe drive motor. A webbed double which has partly entered the feedsection as described hereinbefore and which would otherwise rotate withthe feed section for two or three revolutions thereof will, uponengagement with the ridge 41, be dislodged from its position straddlingthe inlet edge 40 of a blade and will either be completely deliveredinto a flute or will be shoved away from the mouth of the flute forrecirculation through the receptacle. Under some conditions, the ridge41 and the pressure of other ice pieces in this area of the receptaclemay cause the web to become broken so that the double is separated intotwo individual ice pieces.

Such a ridge also serves to disrupt the aforementioned group movement ofunconnected or individual ice pieces. As the ice pieces of such a groupcontact the ridge they are individually elevated as they pass over theridge thereby effecting enough of a rearrangement of the pieces todisrupt the group pattern with the result that some of the ice piecesadjacent the inlet to the feed section will be pushed by the other icepieces in this area into the feed section.

Preferably at least the one wall 42 of the ridge facing the ice piecesmoving tangentially in this area in the direction of rotation of thedispensing means is slanted or sloping in order to minimize breaking orchipping of the ice pieces. Also to aid in the forward advancement ofice pieces'by the conveyor section, the ridge preferably extendsrearwardly beneath the conveyor section where a slight interference withthe tangential movement of ice pieces in conveyor area will encouragethe the axis thereof. More specifically, this step or shoulder 44 isoffset in the direction of rotation of the dispensing means but iswithin the surface portion 22 of the receptacle bottom wall adjacent theshallow arcuate depression below the feed section. This step orshoulder, like the slanting portion 42 of the ridge 41 affects thedesired uniformity in the rate of which the ice pieces are fed to thefeed section without substantially interferring with the recirculationof the stored ice pieces.

While there has been sown and described specific embodiments of theinvention, it will be understood that it is not limited thereto and itis intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications asfall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim: v

1. An ice piece dispenser comprising:

a receptacle for receiving and collecting ice pieces, said receptaclehaving a discharge opening at the front end thereof;

dispensing means horizontally and rotatably supported in said receptacleand comprising a feed section adjacent said opening and a conveyingsection rearwardly of said 7 feed section;

said feed section comprising a cylindrical collar having an outlet fordischarging ice pieces to said discharge opening and an inlet at therear end thereof, said collar containing c'onveyor means for advancingice pieces entering said feed section inlet through said collar uponrotation of said dispensing means;

said conveying section comprising a helically coiled member for movingice pieces in said receptacle towards said feed section during rotationof said dispensing means at a greater rate than ice pieces can entersaid feed sections; 1

the bottom wall portions of said receptacle on opposite sides of saidfeed section inlet extending away from said dispensing means to formrecirculation areas whereby ice pieces which do not enter said feedsection can move transversely into said areas; and

versely along the bottom wall adjacent said feed section inlet into saidinlet comprising a projection on said bottom wall adjacent said feedsection inlet and below said dispensing means. 7 2. The dispenser ofclaim] .in which said projection also extends longitudinally of saidreceptacle beneath said conveyor section. i

3. The dispenser of claim 1 in which the inner surface of the bottomportion of said feed section collar at the inlet end thereof is belowthe adjacentportion of said receptacle bottom wall and said projectionis within said adjacent portion of said bottom wall.

4. An ice piece dispenser comprising: a receptacle having a dischargeopening at the front end thereof; Y

dispensing means horizontally and rotatably supported in said receptacleand comprising a feed section adjacent said opening and a conveyingsection rearwardly of said feed section; said feed section comprising acylindrical collar having an outlet for discharging ice pieces to saiddischarge opening and an inlet at the rear end thereof, said collarcontaining a conveyor means within and substantially coextensive withsaid collar for advancing ice pieces through said collar upon rotationof said dispensing means; said conveying se'ction comprising a helicallycoiled wire component for moving ice pieces in said receptacle towardssaid feed section during rotation of said dispensing means, saidconveying section being spaced from said feed section inlet;

the bottom wall portions ofsaid receptacle on opposite sides of saidfeed section inlet slanting away from said dispensing means to formrecirculation areas whereby ice pieces which do not enter said feedsection move transversely into said areas; and

means for facilitating entrance of ice pieces moving transversely alongthe bottom wall adjacent said feed section inlet into said inletcomprising a shoulder in said bottom wall adjacent said feed sectioninlet and below said dispensing means. 5. The dispenser of claim 4 inwhich said shoulder also ex tends below said conveyor section.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 in which the lower portion of said feedsection is positioned in a shallow arcuate depression means forfacilitating entrance of ice pieces moving trans- I in said receptacleso that the lower portion of said collar is slightly below the portionof said receptacle bottom wall rearwardly adjacent said feed section.

1. An ice piece dispenser comprising: a receptacle for receiving andcollecting ice pieces, said receptacle having a discharge opening at thefront end thereof; dispensing means horizontally and rotatably supportedin said receptacle and comprising a feed section adjacent said openingand a conveying section rearwardly of said feed section; said feedsection comprising a cylindrical collar having an outlet for dischargingice pieces to said discharge opening and an inlet at the rear endthereof, said collar containing conveyOr means for advancing ice piecesentering said feed section inlet through said collar upon rotation ofsaid dispensing means; said conveying section comprising a helicallycoiled member for moving ice pieces in said receptacle towards said feedsection during rotation of said dispensing means at a greater rate thanice pieces can enter said feed sections; the bottom wall portions ofsaid receptacle on opposite sides of said feed section inlet extendingaway from said dispensing means to form recirculation areas whereby icepieces which do not enter said feed section can move transversely intosaid areas; and means for facilitating entrance of ice pieces movingtransversely along the bottom wall adjacent said feed section inlet intosaid inlet comprising a projection on said bottom wall adjacent saidfeed section inlet and below said dispensing means.
 2. The dispenser ofclaim 1 in which said projection also extends longitudinally of saidreceptacle beneath said conveyor section.
 3. The dispenser of claim 1 inwhich the inner surface of the bottom portion of said feed sectioncollar at the inlet end thereof is below the adjacent portion of saidreceptacle bottom wall and said projection is within said adjacentportion of said bottom wall.
 4. An ice piece dispenser comprising: areceptacle having a discharge opening at the front end thereof;dispensing means horizontally and rotatably supported in said receptacleand comprising a feed section adjacent said opening and a conveyingsection rearwardly of said feed section; said feed section comprising acylindrical collar having an outlet for discharging ice pieces to saiddischarge opening and an inlet at the rear end thereof, said collarcontaining a conveyor means within and substantially coextensive withsaid collar for advancing ice pieces through said collar upon rotationof said dispensing means; said conveying section comprising a helicallycoiled wire component for moving ice pieces in said receptacle towardssaid feed section during rotation of said dispensing means, saidconveying section being spaced from said feed section inlet; the bottomwall portions of said receptacle on opposite sides of said feed sectioninlet slanting away from said dispensing means to form recirculationareas whereby ice pieces which do not enter said feed section movetransversely into said areas; and means for facilitating entrance of icepieces moving transversely along the bottom wall adjacent said feedsection inlet into said inlet comprising a shoulder in said bottom walladjacent said feed section inlet and below said dispensing means.
 5. Thedispenser of claim 4 in which said shoulder also extends below saidconveyor section.
 6. The dispenser of claim 5 in which the lower portionof said feed section is positioned in a shallow arcuate depression insaid receptacle so that the lower portion of said collar is slightlybelow the portion of said receptacle bottom wall rearwardly adjacentsaid feed section.